Pleating clamp



June 7, 1955 v. B. HoLLAMoN PLEATING CLAMP Filed April 2, 1954 FIG'- 4 z2 INVENToR.

Hou. 1Mo/v VERA 6.

United States Patent O PLEATING CLAMP Vera B. Hollamon, Flagstaff, Ariz.

Application April 2, 1954, Serial No. 420,596

1 Claim. (Cl. 223-35) This invention relates to a Vpleating clamp and has for its primary object to retain pleats in a garment during the drying thereof.

Another object is to enable the garment to be suspended for drying and to retain the pleats in the garment while it is so suspended.

Still another object is to employ the weight of the clamp in forming pleats throughout the length of a skirt from the hem to the waistband thereof with the depth of the pleats diminishing as the waistband is approached.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features a pair of coextensive clamp bars, a pair of links carried by the clamp bars for movement in arcuate paths on opposite sides of the bars adjacent one end thereof, a pair of links carried by the opposite bar for movement in arcuate paths on opposite sides of the bars adjacent the end thereof remote from the first mentioned links, and means for detachably coupling the links of one bar to the other bar to clamp the device on a pleated garment.

Other features include forming vent openings in the bars in longitudinally spaced relation to facilitate the passage of air through the bars and the escape of moisture from the article clamped therebetween.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of a pleated skirt showing this pleating clamp in use during the drying of the skirt;

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the pleating clamp;

Figure 3 is a perspective view on a reduced scale showing the pleating clamp open with the garment lying in pleats across one of the bars of the clamp;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail, this improved pleating clamp designated generally comprises a pair of coextensive clamp bars 12 and 14 having rows of longitudinally spaced vent openings 16 and 18 extending therethrough, respectively. The bars 12 and 14 are provided adjacent opposite ends with loops 20, 22, 24 and 26. Extending through the loop 22 is a pivot pin 28 to opposite ends of which are pivotally connected links 30 which are provided adjacent their ends remote from the loop 22 with openings 32, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear. A pivot pin 34 projects through the loop 24 and carries adjacent opposite ends links 36 which, like the links 30, move in arcuate paths adjacentopposite sides of the pleating clamp. The links 36 are provided adja cent their ends remote from the pivot pin 34 with openings 38 which. when the device is in use, align with the ICC loop 20 to receive the attaching bolt by which the clamp bars 12 and 14 are coupled together adjacent one end of the pleating clamp.

Extended through the openings 32 in the links 30 and through the loop 26 is an externally screw threaded bolt 40 with which is threadedly engaged a wing nut 42 by means of which the bolt is detachably held in the openings above mentioned and the clamp bar 12 is swingably coupled to the bar 14. A bolt 4'4 is extended through the openings 38 and the loop 20, and threadedly engaged with the bolt 44 is a wing nut 46 by means of which the links 36 are detachably connected to the top clamping bar 12.

In use, it will be understood that the wing nut 46 is disengaged from the bolt 44 and the latter withdrawn from the openings 38 and loop 20 so that the clamp bar 12 may be swung open substantially as shown in Figure 3. The garment to be pleated is then laid on the bar 14 substantially as illustrated, with the pleats formed therein while the garment is in a dampened condition. With the pleating operation completed, the bar 12 is moved into the position illustrated in Figures l and 2 to clamp the pleats in place and the garment is suspended to dry, as suggested in Figure 1. Obviously, because of the pivotal movements of the links 30 and 36 about the pivot 28 and bolt 40 and pivot 34 and bolt 44, respectively, it will be evident that the clamp may adjust itself to the thickness of the material of the garment, as suggested in broken lines in Figure 5, so as to assure the proper retention of the pleats therein. Obviously, after the drying of the garment, the clamp may be removed and the pleats will remain in place in the garment, particularly where the garment has been starched. The openings 16 and 18 extending through the clamp bars 12 and 14 obviously permit the circulation of air in contact with the garment to aid in the rapidity of the drying thereof in the vicinity of the clamp.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is: p

A pleating clamp comprising a pair of coextensive perforated clamp bars, loops carried by the clamp bars adjacent opposite ends thereof, a pivot pin extending through the loop of a first clamp bar, links mounted on the pivot pin for movement in arcuate paths adjacent opposite sides of the rst clamp bar, a bolt extending through the links and through the adjacent loop of the other clamp bar for detachably connecting the clamp bars together, links pivotally connected to the loop of the other clamp bar for movement in arcuate paths adjacent opposite sides thereof, and a bolt extending through the links and through the adjacent loop of the first clamp bar to hold the clamp bars in parallel relation and in clamping engagement with a pleated article of apparel while the pleats are being set therein.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,554,594 Pelletier Sept. 22, 1925 1,987,159 Rasmussen Jan. 8, 1935 2,224,911 Harrison Dec. 17, 1940 

